Are you running Facebook Ads and not seeing results? Or did you run a campaign in the past, disappointed that you spent a lot of money with nothing to show for it? Or are you intimidated at the idea of running Ads, because it all seems overwhelming?

Do you have trouble attracting the right type of clients? Tired of tire-kickers and chapped by cheapos? Do your leads price shop your quotes or fall off the face of the earth after you send them a proposal?

Happy Travel Agent Awareness Week! We are just days away from the main event coming up this Wednesday, May 4!

Our friend Catherine Heeg, from Customized Management Solutions, stopped by to share a short video with 3 tips on creating better images for your social media:

Catherine also put together an inspirational image that you are free to share with your own social networks (thanks, Catherine!). Simply right-click the image below and click "save as." Feel free to use in your own social media posts, blogs, etc.

Thanks for your support of Travel Agent Awareness, and be sure to use the hashtag #TravelAgentAwareness, so we can see all of your great posts! As a reminder, we'll be highlighting some of your creative posts in future campaigns.

The ongoing Travel Agent Awareness campaign is set to launch its next online event, Meme May, to take place May 4.

Meme May will use memes, shareable social media images, to highlight with humor and an engaging way, the value of travel consultants.

The Travel Agent Awareness campaign, introduced last fall by independent contractor Leila Coe of World Class Travel in Gainesville, Fla., grew out of Coe’s frustration with the public’s lack of awareness of travel agents, what they do, and the value they bring to booking consumers’ travel.

The first Travel Agent Awareness Week, held last November, focused on a “grass roots” campaign involving a Facebook group Coe founded. That was followed by a Travel Agent Awareness day Feb. 1.

“Our goal has been to make it clear to the consumer that travel agents are still thriving,” said Coe. “Our network of travel professionals is a vibrant online Facebook community, where agents network, as questions, and share ideas on ways to communicate this message with the public.”

Meme May is aimed at encouraging agents to create their own travel related memes to share with their client base through their preferred social media channels - whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

“We have also been giving agents at least one Meme to use if they aren’t sure how to make their own,” Coesaid. “Agents receive them in a weekly email that we’ve been sending out each Monday. They are also on our Facebook group page.”

In addition, the campaign collaborated with industry travel industry consultant Nolan Burris, of Future Proof Travel Solutions, on a video for Meme May.

Agents are asked to start sharing the Meme’s on May 4th which coincides with Canada’s Travel Agent Day.

“We are hoping that having both events on the same day will have more impact than if we did each separately,” Coe said. “Travel Agent Day is more like a national appreciation day of travel agents versus what we are trying to do.”

The Travel Agent Awareness campaign from February garnered hundreds of posts on social media sites and over 130,000 impressions on Twitter, according to Coe. The Facebook group has also grown since February with nearly 1,500 members.

“We also have almost 450 agents who have signed up in our directory on our website, TravelAgentAwareness.com,” Coe said.

“Our events gain more consumer and industry attention each time so we are hoping by doing them regularly, four times a year, we will keep building on that awareness,” she added.

Travel Agent Awareness campaign co-organizer Jacob Marek of 45 Degrees Marketing views the group as an effective way for travel professionals to promote themselves.

“So many travel consultants are amazing at planning travel, but struggle in effectively communicating their value to the general public,” Marek said. “We’re excited to provide agents with free marketing resources and tools that they can use to spread the word and promote their expertise.”

To participate in Travel Agent Awareness, use the Twitter and Instagram hashtags #TravelAgentAwareness and #TravelAgents, and join the online Facebook community at facebook.com/groups/travelagentawareness.

This week's meme was created by Travel Agent Awareness Founder and Co-Organizer, Leila Coe! It was just announced recently by Dos Equis that The Most Interesting Man in the World is retiring, but he is still a wildly-popular, shareable meme. To save these memes, simply right-click and "save as."

She also put together a bonus meme as an "inside joke" that we as travel professionals might get a kick out of!

Sure, that online travel deal your clients are considering looks like a good deal, until you get there and see your view overlooks the dumpster instead of the ocean. Doesn't seem like such a bargain after all, does it?

Use this meme on your own social media (right-click & "save as") and make people aware of your value as travel agents - or, rather - travel consultants. Be sure to add the kinds of hashtags your clients might us to see your posts on Instagram and Twitter (also tag us with #travelagents and #travelagentawareness).

Nolan also has a ton of good travel posts you can use for free over here.

Our second free meme is inspired by the famous "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters, with a travel agent twist! Get your copy (right click, "save image as") and spread the word to your fans and followers! Be sure to use #TravelAgentAwareness.